Move over SI Swim Models!

A couple weeks ago, Mylie came out of her room with her swimming suit on. One look at her with her swimming suit NOT covering the essential parts that need covering, and I decided I had better get her a new suit. So, I looked online like I LOVE to do. And I found an adorable one from Target.com for only $10. It was such a great deal, I got one for Mariah, too. They arrived today, and even though it's the middle of winter, and even though we're not going swimming, we just HAD to try them on! Here are my little swimsuit models sporting their adorable new suits!

Moving Past Survival Mode

Sometime in my past, I learned some things about basic human survival . . . not from my own personal experience, but from reading books, I guess. Basically, if a human being doesn't have food, water, and shelter, he can't focus on anything else until those items are secured. Only then can he begin to worry about anything else.

For the first two months of Mariah's life, I felt a little like I was in "Mom Survival Mode." Each day was geared toward feeding myself, a baby, and two other children, keeping them clothed (although I'm sure they would have survived without this one), and keeping our shelter a step above a local landfill. Most days, looking back at the day, it felt like that was really all I had done. Thus my theory that I was simply living in survival mode--I wasn't yet capable of focusing on much else. I headed to my mom's house for a few days to take a much needed break from my own reality. I took all three kids with me for the first few days, then Tony took the older two home, allowing me to stay there for two more days with just Mariah. I came home ready to take it on again. I didn't know if I was going to be able to do much more than I had been doing, however.

Then something amazing happened. On the day Mariah turned two months old, she became a new baby. I credit two things for this miracle. The first is that it seemed as if her stomach suddenly knew how to digest milk MUCH better--gone were the constant belly-aches and endless burping marathons. Secondly, I figured out that I was spending way to much time and energy trying to help her or make her sleep. What she was trying to say to me (and I should have this one figured out after much experience with my two older children) was "Mom, you can't make me," and "I'll do it myself!" So, I finally just laid her in her crib, walked away, listened to her cry for a few minutes, and VIOLA! She went to sleep and has been sleeping beautifully since. She takes good daytime naps, is happy in between, and the best of all is that she averages about 10 hours of sleep a night without waking. Overnight she went from my toughest baby yet to my best. She's three months old now, and has continued these behaviors quite consistently. (I think I've been awoken just once for a night feeding in that entire month.)

So I feel like I've moved past survival mode. I have several pieces of evidence to support this feeling I have--most of which are projects I've been able to complete that are a step above keeping the house looking a little better than a landfill.

1. I cleaned my carpets. Yeah, I rented a shampooer and did the entire house. It was great, especially watching all that dirty water go down the drain, knowing it wasn't in my carpets anymore.

2. I cleaned out my van. Not just getting the garbage out, which I struggled to do for the previous two months. I actually vacuuumed and shampooed carpets, wiped down all the interior (may I say that leather interior is the ONLY way to go with kids, in my opinion), and Armor All'd all of it. I even took out all the car seats, stripped off the disgusting pads and covers, washed them, and put them back together, which was no easy task. It looked amazing.

3. I mentioned this a little in an earlier post, but I got caught up on my digital scrapbooking, finishing 12 more pages. Here's one that I liked, but didn't include earlier.

Sorry you can't really read the small print. Oh well.


4. I painted and decorated our playroom. I also pulled out all the toys and Tony washed them all. I reorganized them and put them back away. It's like we have a whole new playroom. Connor and Mylie helped me get started, then went to Angela's for the day. Mariah napped or watched me paint. She was great!

Playroom before--BORING

Getting started

Playroom after some bright paint and cute details--FUN!

5. I painted our guest bathroom. This is probably my favorite room makeover I've ever done, and all it took was a can of paint. I just love the color--so warm and happy. Connor was very proud of how much he helped me with this room, and he really did! He was a great painter.

6. I sewed two cute little curtains--one for our playroom and one for the nursery. I decorated that room three years ago when we moved into the house but never bothered with a window treatment until now. It turned out so cute!

The playroom curtain

7. I cleaned out our disgusting refrigerator. There's nothing like a clean fridge to lift my spirits!

8. I've worked hard in my Biggest Loser Contest. Although I'm not even in the top half after the first weigh-in, I'm really happy with my progress toward my post-baby weight loss and fitness goals. I've started lifting weights a couple days a week, which I have not done since college. I've even been getting up early enough to play 6am basketball twice a week with some friends.

9. I've been a big-time MV Buffaloes fan, going to as many games as possible and loving every minute of it. Here are my little BUFFS fans.

Isn't this sweet?

Connor doing what he does ALL day--BASKETBALL!!

Even with all this evidence that perhaps I have moved on, I've been discovering over the past few days that I've probably been running a little faster than I have strength. I've paid for it now by being sick for a few days, and feeling like I've landed myself right back into survival mode. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Willabee, Wallabee, Fun!

So, I found a way to keep my kids entertained for a full 20 minutes while I was cooking dinner tonight. Actually, Connor brought it up. He ask, "Mom, do you know the willabee, wallabee song?" I said I did, and we began.

"Willabee, Wallabee, Wonner, an elephant sat on Connor. Willabee, Wallabee, Wylie, and elephant sat on Mylie!" The kids then went through every single aunt, uncle, grandparent, and cousin they could think of. Then on to all of Tony's basketball boys. Then the elephant started sitting on things around our house. Then I, being the adult in the room, made a few suggestions that started total mayhem! Woilet, Worcupine, and Witchfork were a few that I suggested. Connor came back with Wegasaurus, Wissors, Wud, and a Wongue. Did you get all that?

So much fun, I'm sure we'll do it again sometime . . . soon!

By Request . . . Guacamole paradise!!!

So, I've had a few requests for the guacamole recipe that is good enough to be my favorite food served with tortilla chips. So, here it is:

2 jalapeno chilies
2 ripe large avacados
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
Tortilla chips, if desired

1. Remove stems, seeds and membranes from chilies; chop chilies. Cut avacados lengthwise in half; remove pit and peel. Mash avacados.

2. Mix chilies, avacados, and remaining ingredients except tortilla chips (duh!) in glass or plastic bowl.

3. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve with tortilla chips.

YUM, YUM, YUM!! (Thanks to Betty Crocker.)

P.S. After I had posted this, I felt prompted to add the following warning: Enjoy in moderation--unless you're going to be home with no guests for a couple days. In that case, eat it all! (I think you know what I'm talking about. :)

Gotta LOVE this girl!

Here are some of my favorite Mariah photos from the past month. She is growing so fast, and is so adorable. Gotta love this girl!

My Valentine

For awhile now, I've been wanting to brag on my husband a little on my blog. I figure right now is a great time since Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I even changed my blog header to my favorite scrapbook page, "My Best Friend, My Love."

Our story began about a year and a half before we actually met. I was coaching a volleyball camp with his sister, Angela (who I coach with now at MVHS). During our lunch break one day, she pulled a picture of a really cute guy out of her wallet and said, "This is my brother, Tony. You two should go on a date when he gets home from his mission." I shrugged it off, of course. People say things like that all the time, but nothing ever comes of it. I really never thought about it again.

Then, when Tony got home from his mission, EVERYBODY tried to line him up with somebody they knew. He started getting a little frustrated with everybody trying to "hook him up." Thankfully, Angela knew that. All she said to him was, "I've got a girl for you to marry. She's in Laramie. Maybe you'll find her." She didn't tell him who I was.

We first met about a month or so after he started school at UW. I was a junior then, and since I had only had 3 or 4 dates in two years there, I really wasn't figuring I'd be meeting the man of my dreams anytime soon, and had decided I'd be at least 25 before I got married. I was okay with that. I was sitting in church one Sunday, and a really cute guy walked into sacrament meeting with a friend. I instantly remembered Angela's photo as well as his name, Tony.

We saw each other at FHE and at the institute a few times that fall, but that was it. Finally, the last week of the semester, he asked me on a date. It didn't take long at all for me to fall in love with him, but I was pretty scared of getting my heart broken. I didn't really think that someone so PERFECT could actually fall in love with me. But apparently, miracles do happen. We were engaged by April and married July 18, 2002.

Now, seven years and three kids after first falling in love with Tony, I love him even more. He is the most patient, kind, caring, and sincere person I know. He makes me want to be better every day. He is the most helpful husband I've ever seen. In fact, he stepped in and cooked dinner tonight while I was busy unloading groceries, and he does this A LOT! He is such a good listener, and I feel like I can share anything with him without being judged. He tells me I'm beautiful every day. He leaves little love notes around the house that I'll find during my day. Those always put a smile on my face. He's a wonderful dad. He's the type of person that everybody likes. What's not to like about him? Every time somebody I know gets married, I think to myself, "Good for you. Hopefully you got the second best man in the world, since the best is already taken."

The past seven years have been the best years of my life, and I look forward to many, many more amazing moments, thanks to my valentine, Tony Micheli.

Tony, I love you.

A Little More Positive . . .

As I've read over my last entry, I feel a little like a negative critic. So, lest any of you think that is actually true, let me share THREE books that I feel are well worth the read, and that I have actually taken a wealth of advice from to improve three areas of my life: my personal improvement, my relationship with my husband, and my parenting.

This book is written for teens, and there is just a regular 7 Habits book you can buy for adults, but I prefer this version. It is shorter and easier to read and you get the idea just the same. My whole outlook changed a couple years ago as I took a workshop from my sister-in-law on the Habits, then set specific goals. The most profound changes came as I decided to be more Proactive and Put First Things First, two of the habits taught in the book.

This is an amazing book that has helped me understand myself and my husband so much better. In understanding the different ways we feel love, we have been better able to show love to each other in a way that the other will understand--speaking THEIR love language. I think this is a MUST-READ for any married couple. It has also helped me with my relationships with other people I love as well.

Finally, my absolute favorite parenting book I've read. Most parenting books are written for parents of average children. However, Connor (and even Mylie in some ways) aren't exactly average. They have been MORE intense, MORE persistent, and just MORE in general than a lot of other kids I've been around. This book is written about them, and how I can embrace their personalities and try to just channel their personality traits, not crush them. I don't know if that makes any sense, but if you're looking for answers for your one child that is just a little MORE challenging than the others, this book may be for you, too.

P.S. Totally changing direction here, I've had a little fun the past couple days digital scrapbooking. I LOVE this new, mess-free way I've found to display my photos in fun ways. I will NEVER go back to the old paper, scissors, and glue scrapbooking method that I hated anyway, but did out of some sort of sense of duty. Here are a few of my favorite pages I did yesterday. (If you keep up on my blog, you've already seen most of these pics, but oh well.)